Redefining Virtual Internship Experiences at Columbia Global

Alexandra (Alex) Noelle Hussey, CGT'25, had a valuable experience during her Columbia Global Internship Program at the Nairobi Center. Throughout her time there, she actively participated in the Center's programming and reporting activities. She shared her insights and experiences with us, highlighting the impact of her internship.

I wanted to undertake my internship with Columbia Global Center in Nairobi because I missed working in Nairobi and wanted to engage more with the opportunities at Columbia. I was immediately met with the same openness, curiosity, and drive that had made my first experience in Nairobi so meaningful. Pauline and Sandra made the internship experience worthwhile. Despite only communicating over email, I felt supported, respected, and truly part of the team. I was inspired and moved by every event the center put on and always knew it would be worth an early wake-up to attend.

The Nairobi Center team saw my potential and gave me opportunities that went far beyond busywork. Every task I was assigned was meaningful and deserved my full attention. Whether I was researching speakers, writing articles about events, or designing a webinar, I knew my work would contribute to the team’s efforts. I had never written articles before and was grateful for the chance to do so with Sandra’s guidance. She helped me discover a new skill that I know will serve me well in the future.

I’m also very grateful to the team for allowing me to design and moderate my webinar. It meant a lot to have the chance to connect the voices we wanted to amplify from Nairobi to New York. After hearing from our speakers, I felt hopeful for the future and in awe of what it means to connect people across the world through Columbia. Overall, I had a wonderful experience as an intern at Columbia Global Center in Nairobi, and I could not recommend it more highly.